


Riddle In The Dark

by One Of Many (One_Of_Many)



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternative Perspective, Angst, Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 08:17:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18384539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/One_Of_Many/pseuds/One%20Of%20Many
Summary: Waking up after the battle Kili makes the journey back to Erebor...but all not is as it seems...





	1. Chapter 1

Looking back the first thing he would recall was the darkness, a thick and almost tangible darkness cocooning him in a wall of silence, then the light came and everything changed..forever.

Clouded and unfocused Kili's eyes blinked at the sky which in return offered a blanketed expanse of greyness the hue of cold stone mirroring the surface on which he now lay.

Where was he?

Slowly his head turned in an attempt to scan the horizon for something with which to mark his position and much to his surprise found instead a large black glassy eye staring back, the surface reflecting his own distorted image as the owner who perched by his left shoulder broke the silence with a shrill indignant "caw" it's large black wings readying themselves for flight.

"Come back!"

Scrambling to his feet a hand shot skyward fingers outstretched towards the raven as it disappeared from sight.

"Where am I?"

...am I?

The echo mockingly repeated and turning towards the sound a glint of recognition shone in his eyes.The battle, but where was everyone and why did he feel so sleepy? Rubbing his face it came to him, Mahal how could he have been so stupid but of course he had fallen asleep after it was all over and his kin had returned to the mountain! Well now t'was time to join them, aye  
he could do with an ale or two and some tales by the fire, indeed just the very thought of a foamy brew made his mouth dry. Pulling up his collar against a sudden blast of icy wind Kili began the journey from the moss covered rocky landscape on which he now stood the journey that would take him home.

Erebor. He did not need to see the mountain to know it lay close at hand for the homeland of a dwarf acted as an inner beacon drawing those who wandered towards it and ushering the lost within but as he drew closer he paused for this was not the Erebor of old not as he recalled, no, this was something..different.

Tentatively he approached the bridge step by careful step mindful of the missing footboards which would have had him on his knees the fingers of his left hand brushing against the wooden handrail now cloaked in a similar mossy menace to the land he had crossed but hours before.

What..was..this?

The raven cried out in the distance and with it he thought he heard the feint whisper of a voice calling his name a voice which danced on the breeze..and was gone. Vigour renewed he ran the short distance towards the open drawbridge calling out to those concealed within, the darkness of the interior reaching out to envelop him as he quickly raced inside.


	2. Chapter 2

It took a few moments to adjust to his new surroundings such was the gloom which cloaked everything in sight, the guided pillars and golden grandeur exchanged for shades of black and grey.

"Fili!"

Blinkered by the thought of seeing his Brother again Kili ran the length of the great chamber encircling each pillar..twice..with the expectation that Fili was hiding behind one waiting for the opportunity to jump out and..

"Fili?"

Only on shouting for the second time did he notice the echo which slid around the walls the same echo as before making him come to a halt, dark eyes staring into the distance where rays of light punctuated the gloom through a hole in the wall that had not been there before bathing the surrounding area in a strange silver light a light which extended over the marble floor save for one set of bootprints which zigzagged the chamber and ended where he stood.  
The sound of fluttering wings saw the arrival of a raven who after descending from a hole up above perched upon a nearby statue, the methodical 'tap-tap' of its beak as it played with a cobweb the only sound in an otherwise silent mountain.

"F..Fili?"

This had to be some kind of spell for there was no way that this could...could..  
Refusing to accept the answers which hissed within his mind Kili fled towards his Brother's chambers where no doubt he would be waiting doubled up with laughter as he burst through the door in a state of near panic, aye, he would not hear the end of it for weeks no doubt but right now that seemed like the best thing in the world.

Door after door each one open each chamber empty a blanket of dust covering the floor as before. He..knew..that this had to be an illusion and yet a feeling of unease sat heavily in his stomach. Just one more hallway and he would find Fili, one more and all would be...

Turning the corner he came to an abrupt halt for there before him was a door he had not seen before..a door of solid gold.


	3. Chapter 3

He wanted to run, every fibre of his being told him turn and leave but Kili found himself unable to move, eyes transfixed on the chamber door before him it's surface covered in runes. A wrong turning, aye, that was it in his state of worry he had lost his way and wandered into an old part of the mountain and yet he found himself reaching for the door as if drawn to it fingers brushing metal through no will of his own..what was he doing? he had no time to visit such a place he needed to see his Brother and..  
The rush of stale air informed him he had stepped inside.

Silence. His first thought was the heavy sense of silence so tangible he felt he could almost reach out and touch it, a silence which made him feel like an intruder yet still he ventured further into the chamber, it's plain stone walls illuminated by the dancing shadows of torches which seemed to stand guard over an empty void save for a solid silhouette on the far wall.

He wanted to run but found himself drawing nearer.

"Nothing to be afraid of.."

He told himself, pausing before the shadowy corner.

"Tis just a.."

Taking a deep breath he blew the dust from the top of the large stone slab..and froze.  
The floor rose up to meet him walls began to spin as he stared at the name before him the name of the one who occupied the stone sarcophagus a name he knew too well. Opening and closing his lips Kili silently mouthed the word as his mind filled with questions all of which joined together jostling to be heard.

"H..How..?"

It did not make any sense the battle had been won they had been victorious so how could..?

"T..Thorin?"

And why had Fili not sent word, surely he would have been sort under such circumstances for how cou..  
An icy hand gripped at his heart as eyes inadvertently slid sideways..there was another..

He should have run but now it was too late.

Fighting for breath Kili approached the second tomb trembling fingers reaching to caress the familiar two crossed knives which lay atop.

"I..I have found you.."

He whispered placing his cheek against the stone slab, eyes sliding shut as his vision blurred with tears.

"Y..You hide in such good places Brother b..but I found you and I w..won't leave you again."

A deep intake of air made his breathing shudder and with it a sense of lightheadedness washed over him all energy suddenly spent like a limp rag.

"I..I might just take a nap here with you."

Legs buckled beneath him as he slid to the floor, just how long had it been since he had slept?

"Tis so quiet here.."

Drawing knees up to his chest his eyelids began to feel heavy. 

"Aye, we shall nap together just like when we were dwarflings, remember Brother?"

He muttered closing his eyes.

"Together."

The sound of feathered wings softly filled the chamber the raven quietly landing upon a..third..tomb situated next to where he now sat a tomb which bore but one name...

...the name of Kili.


End file.
